As software engineers, we’re always exposed to new tools.
Each week brings a new:
framework,
SaaS product,
development tool “you have to try”.
It seems like a good thing on the surface.
We have more choices, which should lead to more optimal solutions.
Except recently, that hasn’t been my experience.
Not only do choices slow us down, but too many options may create friction.
You waste a lot of time doing things such as:
comparing options
looking up reviews
watching tutorials
Only to find out that you can’t really sure whether you chose the right option.
The thing that is important here is that it isn’t just about too many options. It’s also how we discover tools.
Most of the discovery sources are based on popularity trends that are temporary.
As of late, I've been gravitating towards structured approaches to discovery, rather than just sticking to feeds and recommendations.
Something that's more akin to exploring categories and use cases, rather than trying to stay up to date on the latest trends.
I discovered this while researching other methods of web app discovery: https://unstore.io. What intrigued me about it was the idea of being able to discover tools in a purposeful manner, rather than always moving on to the next popular one.
Now I'm coming to the realization that maybe the objective isn't to discover more tools, but rather the right ones, quicker and more efficiently.
How do you cope with an abundance of tools?
Do you have a method of determining which tools to work with, or does the first one that comes your way do the trick?
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